Re-enterable electrical assembly



July 30, 1968 w, 0. WEAGANT 3,395,382

RE-ENTERABLE ELECTRICAL ASSEMBLY Filed June 6, 1966 INVENTOR. WILLIAMDANIEL WEAGANT .7 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,395,382 RE-ENTERABLEELECTRICAL ASSEMBLY William Daniel Weagant, Fremont, Calif., assignor toSigma Industries, Inc., Menlo Park, Calif. Filed June 6, 1966, Ser. No.555,469 8 Claims. (Cl. 339-116) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An electricalconnector assembly comprising two cupshaped housing members detachablyand sealingly secured together and containing screw-operated wedge typeconductor-clamping means. Insulated conductors enter through one of themembers and are sealed thereto by either an integral or 'a separateheat-shrinkable sleeve portion.

This invention relates to an electrical connector assembly and, moreparticularly, to a re-entera-ble connector assembly for hermeticallysealing a plurality of electrical conductors or wires within the wall ofthe assembly member.

In most electrical systems it is desirable to enclose the electricalconnectors to prevent damage, corrosion or shorting of the conductors.In underground electrical systems such as, for example, undergroundresidential electrical distribution systems or community antennatelevision systems, it becomes a necessity to make the electricalconnector assembly both airtight and watertight if the connectorassemblies are placed underground instead of in above ground pedestals.To date the assemblies that have been utilized in these undergroundsystems have typically been branch-type assemblies in which it is notonly difficult to modify an existing connector which is physicallyimmovable due to conductors extending in various directions, but alsonecessary permanently to destroy the hermetic seal around the connectorto make changes or alterations in the system.

It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide anelectrical connector assembly for housing a plurality of electricalconductors in which the assembly unit can be opened as often as desiredto insert or withdraw certain of the conductors without permanentlydestroying the integral hermetic seal around the assembly.

It is further an object of this invention to provide a re-enterableelectrical connector assembly having a plurality of passages forindividually hermetically sealing a number of electrical conductors.

It is another object of this invention to utilize a connector in are-enterable electrical connector assembly which can be quicklyassembled and disassembled for securing or releasing a plurality ofelectrical conductors.

It is a feature and advantage of this invention to provide are-enterable assembly for interconnecting a number of electricalconductors which is formed from a pair of cup-shaped members threadablyinterconnectable to define a closed chamber. One of the cup-shapedmembers is further provided with a plurality of passages in the form oftubular legs extending from the cup bottom or closed cup end and Witheach of the legs adapted to permit passage of an electrical conductorinto the chamber for common connection with an electrical connectorcontained within the chamber. Provision is made for hermetically sealingthe legs so that the entire chamber with the connector inside can behermetically sealed and yet re-opened via the threaded interconnectionbetween the members 3,395,382 Patented July 30, 1968 without destroyingthe hermetic seal of each leg. The hermetic seal between the legs andthe conductor passing therethrough is accomplished by use of heatshrinkable material. In one embodiment of the invention, the legs whichare integral with the one cup-shaped member are made of heat shrinkablematerial while in another embodiment a sleeve of heat shrinkablematerial is dimensioned to slide over the leg and a conductor passingtherethrough so that upon application of heat the sleeve will shrinkonto the leg and conductor and seal the two together.

The connector assembly in accordance with this invention is compact andeasily used and provides a high reliability hermetically sealedconnection chamber. The assembly can be bured in the ground and yetre-opened without disrupting the existing connections or the hermeticseal between the conductors and the assembly housing. Also, since theseal between the housing and conductors is created by heat shrinkablematerial, a single connector assembly will accommodate conductors ofvarious sizes.

Another feature and advantage of this invention is the provision of aconnector assembly as described above with removable plugs positionedwithin certain of the tubular legs so that additional conductors can beadded and hermetically sealed in the assembly from time to time asdesired. Again, due to the use of heat shrinkable material for creatingthe seal, the additional conductors that can be added can be of varioussizes.

Another feature and advantage of this invention is the provision of aconnector member operable in the connector assembly as described aboveand wherein the connector includes a pair of axially shiftable,electrical conducting members, one having a continuous, periodicallynotched, truncated conical inner surface and the other having acontinuous similarly periodically notched, truncated conical outersurface whereby the two surfaces can be brought into and held insubstantial juxtaposition to define conductor-receiving and clampingrecesses with mating notches. With this connector assembly, a pluralityof conductors can be simultaneously connected by simply tightening thetwo members to bring the surfaces into juxtaposition. The two memberscan be provided with split adapters fitting in mating notches so thatdifferent conductor sizes can be connected together with one connectorand all the conductors held with substantially uniform pressure.

These objects, features and advantages of the invention will be betterunderstood and others will become apparent when reference is made to thefollowing disclosure, especially in view of the attached drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational sectional view of the structure shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to a portion of FIG. 2 showing anotherembodiment of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings wherein similar characters of referencerepresent corresponding parts in each of the several views, there isshown a re-enterable connector assembly A in accordance with the presentinvention for housing the connection between a plurality of parallelconductors 10 which may be of different sizes. As shown, conductor 10 isof smaller diameter than the other conductors 10.

Connector assembly A includes a pair of generally cupshaped covermembers 12 and 14. Cover member 12 of, for example, molded rigid plasticis provided at its open the line end, with external threads 16 disposedso as to cooperate with internal threads 18 at the open end of covermember 14. An O-ring 20 slidable over threads 16 is provided to ensurean air and water tight fit when members 12 and 14 are screwed together.

Member 14 includes integral therewith at its bottom or closed end aplurality of parallel tubular legs or sleeves 22 defining openings orpassages through which conductors 10 are inserted and secured to acommon connector 24, described in greater detail below. Member 14 isformed of electrically insulating material such as, for example,thermally stabilized modified polyolefin with the legs 22 modified so asto be shrinkable upon application of heat. Any heat recoverable materialhaving the property of elastic memory can be utilized. Typically, asealant 23 characterized as a non-setting, non-sa ging sealant adhesivesuch as a semithermoplastic sealant is coated on the inside surface ofthe legs 22. Upon application of heat the sealant 23 softens and thelegs 22 shrink onto the conductors 10 and 10' so that the sealant flowsaround the cable and partially out through the contracting end of thelegs 22 forming a permanent mechanical seal.

In applications where cables are desirably added and sealedsubsequently, a plug 26 is sealed into open legs 22 by application ofslight heat. These plugs can be removed subsequently and replaced by aconductor 10. Only when it is desired to utilize a specific tubularpassage is the particular plug 26 removed therefrom to allow insertionof a conductor 10. It will be apparent to one skilled in this art thatplugs 26 may be removed in a number of ways such as by mechanical forcetypically with slight heat.

Connector 24 includes a circular male insert or member 28 having atruncated conical outer surface with a plurality of semicylindricalindentations or notches 30 spaced periodically therearound. This maleinsert 28 includes a cenrtal threaded hole (not shown) in about thecenter thereof for receiving a correspondingly threaded bolt 32. Afemale circular component or member 34 provided with a truncated conicalinternal surface corresponding to the external surface of insert 28 isprovided with a mating series of semicylindrical indentations 36.

This circular component 34 is further provided with a central aperture38 of a diameter larger than the diameter of bolt 32. In this mannerbolt 32 will pass freely through aperture 38 into threadable engagementwith the threaded central opening in male insert 28 so that bytightening bolt 32 into the threaded hole in male insert 28, male insert28 and female component 34 are drawn together to define at the matingnotches 30 and 36 openings of decreasing cross-section for clampingtherein necting the conductors 10. Split hollow cylindrical adapters 31and 37 fit within the mating notches 30 and 36, respectively, to reducethe cross-sectional areas of an opening to aocommodatee conductors 10'of smaller diameter. Naturally, adapters of various thicknesses can beutilized so that conductors of various sizes can all be clamped in theconnector 24 with substantially uniform pressure.

The completed assembly when tightly sealed as shown in FIG. 2 provides aconnector assembly which completely encloses, physically protects,insulates and hermetically seals the conductors and connector element.By the construction of the assembly, the housing can be opened to changeor adjust the connector or to add additional conductors withoutdisturbing the position of the existing conductors 10 or effecting theseal previously established between the conductor and the connectorhousing. Within the scope of this invention, connectors constructed andoperable different from the particular connector 24 shown can beutilized with the remaining assembly illustrated and claimed.

The present invention is particularly well suited for undergroundresidential electrical distribution systems wherein service andsecondary cables of different diameters can be easily connected togetherand hermetically sealed within one assembly. However, the presentinvenand electrically contion is useful and desirable in many otherapplications such as, for example, community antenna television systems,telephone systems, fire alarm and traffic signal cable systems, etc.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention illustratedin FIG. 4, the legs 22 of the cup-shaped member 14 can be made of rigidmolded plastic material and a sleeve 25 of heat shrinkable material,typically internally coated with sealant 23', dimensioned to slide overthe legs 22' and conductors 10 to produce the seal therebetween. Again,the sleeves can be formed of thermally stabilized modified polyolefinwhich will shrink onto both the legs 22 and conductors 10 uponapplication of heat.

Although several embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modificationscan be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is claimed:

1. A re-enterable electrical conductor assembly for use with a number ofelectrical conductors comprising: a pair of cup-shaped members formedfrom an electrically insulating material, said members havingcooperating screw means at the open ends thereof for releasablyinterconnecting the members to define a closed chamber adapted tocontain a connector, one of the members having means defining aplurality of parallel tubular passages through the closed cup endthereof for permitting a plurality of parallel electrical conductors toextend into the chamber, connecting means within said chamber includinga pair of relatively shiftable, electrically conducting members, one ofsaid members having a continuous, periodically notched, truncatedconical inner surface and the other member having a continuous,periodically notched, truncated conical outer surface adapted to bemoved into substantial juxtaposition to the inner periphery of thefirst-mentioned member with the notches of the members in matingrelationship to define conductor-receiving and clamping recesses, andmeans for releasably interconnecting said conducting members, wherebythe proximal ends of such conductors can be electrically connectedtogether by a connector.

2. A hermetically sealed, reenterable assembly suitable forinterconnecting the ends of a number of electrical conductors,comprising: a pair of cup-shaped members including means thereon forreleasably interconnecting the same to define a closed chamber, one ofsaid members having a plurality of tubular legs each defining an openingsuitable for insertion therethrough of the end of an electricalconductor into said chamber; means for electrically connecting said endsof such conductors in said chamber; each of said legs being ofheat-shrinkable material and including a sealant disposed along theinside surface thereof to provide a hermetic seal around an electricalconductor when said conductor is inserted into a respective leg andsufficient heat is applied to cause said sealant to flow and said leg toshrink around the respective conductor.

3. The assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein at least one of saidlegs is provided with a removable plug temporarily secured in the outerend thereof to maintain the desired hermetic seal within said chamberwhen said at least one leg is free of a conductor.

4. The assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein said removable plugis heat-sealed in said leg.

5. The assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein said sealant is anon-setting adhesive.

6. A hermetically sealed, re-enterable assembly suitable forinterconnecting the ends of a number of electrical conductors,comprising: a pair of cup-shaped members including means thereon forreleasably interconnecting the same to define a closed chamber, aplurality of tubular legs having first and second ends, each of saidfirst ends being integral with one of said members to define an openingsuitable for insertion therethrough of the end of an electricalconductor into said chamber; means within said chamber for electricallyinterconnecting said ends of such conductors; and a heat-shirnkablesleeve overlapping the second end of each of said plurality of legs,said sleeves including a sealant disposed along the inside surfacethereof whereby, when conductors are inserted into respective sleevesand legs and said sleeves are subjected to sutficient heat to produceshrinkage around a respective conductor and cause said sealant to flowaround said conductor, said assembly will provide a hermetic seal aroundthe ends of said conductors.

7. The assembly in accordance with claim 6 wherein said sealant isnon-setting adhesive.

8. The assembly in accordance with claim 3 including,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/ 1927 Reiser 17487 4/ 1951Salmons.

9/1965 Ruddell et al 174-91 X 5/1966 Kohler 174-93 7/1966 Daum et a1.174--71 2/1967 Ellis 17484 4/1967 Jacks et al 339270 X FOREIGN PATENTS7/ 1949 France.

in combination, said conductors heat-sealed in said legs 15 RICHARD E.MOORE, Primary Examiner.

and interconnected in said chamber.

